Despite the rain, dozens of youths turned out in Nangoma, Mumbwa, to dance, race and play football on Saturday March 12.

Celebrating National Youth Day, eager crowds gathered at the local business centre and sang the national anthem before embarking on a programme of games to commemorate their contribution to the national economy.

Constituting roughly half of Zambia’s population according to the United Nations, the inclusion of young people in public life is vital for national development and this day welcomed their future contribution.

Unperturbed by dark clouds and a bout of rain, they huddled under umbrellas to cheer on their local football team Kaseco Football Club, which won the over-17’s match against rival team from the capital, Lusaka Super Eagles.

Crowd watching the football

Local organizer and chairperson of Nangoma Youths Francis Mweete said that he was happy with the turnout and added that the event aimed to bring the community together.

“Youths are our future leaders and we have to give them education and exposure,” he said. “It has been a very good day. It has been a day for young people to enjoy and stay away from problems like alcohol.”

He said he has great hope for his area in terms of development in the next ten years, in particular that of schools and the introduction of the internet, which he observed can be an important learning tool in schools, for example in researching assignments.

Having established his own business centre in Mumbwa complete with a computer and photocopier, he reflected: “I have a heart for the people here in the rural areas. It forced me to come back to the village and try to develop the place.”

Before he launched his centre, the nearest photocopier was 100km away in Lusaka. With support from Connect Africa, which cheered from the side-lines, and mobile phone network MTN, which sponsored popular vuvuzelas and caps, the Nangoma community has benefitted over the last year from better communication and business facilities, expected to open the door to future opportunity.

“I have enjoyed the day,” said 13 year-old John Mwanza. “We hope for the future that we will do great things and have more schools here,” he added. Enhanced communication facilities in this area – better educational tools for example – could well make his dream come true.

Yet internet connection remains an opportunity only for the elite, with internet penetration estimated at 11 per cent for the whole continent*.

Mobile phones, a great asset in the rural areas as often the only mode of communication over distance, are owned by roughly 52 per cent of the population in Africa**.

Connect Africa, in partnership with MTN, is striving to reduce these numbers, to empower not only youths but the entire community to connect with the future and unlock opportunities available to almost everyone in the majority world.

*Internet World Stats: http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats1.htm

** Wireless Intelligence: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10569081